The Magician's Mistress
by Black Neko Gem
Summary: Yugi and Yami find out about a mysterious girl whose destiny is about to be disrupted, and the Dark Magician who is destined for her. Yup it's done. It's finished so fast because it was done long before this. Read n review please!
1. Chapter 1 The Girl

The Magician's Mistress  
  
Me: Hey peeps! This is my first story! But I'm not going to hide behind it, because I've been writing stuff since I was about 8. So bring on the flames! Even though they will be used to warm my fingers. It's friggin' COLD out here!  
  
Marik: Hey! I'm not in this story!  
  
Me: Shut up Marik. I wrote this before I got to liking you. :D  
  
Marik: You don't own me!  
  
Me: Oh yeah! That's right, we need a disclaimer!  
  
Marik: NO, no disclaimer!  
  
Me: Just shut up and tell them!  
  
Marik: Grrr..Alright!.... She... does not own ... this show or the characters.... but she does own the story... Fine! I did it!! Are you happy now?!  
  
Me:Yes. *looks at readers* But I think they thought you were funny. O.o (ohhh crap he's gonna be mad)  
  
Marik: FOR THE LOVE OF RA!!! *aims at me with his Rod* Bwahaha! My yami still has the Rod, and so that means I do too!!  
  
Me: You dare? *holds up a fluffy teddy bear that says "I wuv you!" when squeezed*  
  
Marik: AIEEE!!!! It is terrible! Get it away! *shielding his eyes*  
  
Me: Then put away your Rod.  
  
Marik: *gritting teeth* Grrr... fine.  
  
Me: Okay then. *looks at readers* Pay no attention. He's a blonde, what do you expect?  
  
Marik: *swings hard at her with Rod and just misses*  
  
Anyway.... The Magician's Mistress  
  
Chapter 1-- The Girl The girl hung her head oddly, Yugi thought to himself, as she grudgingly did the dishes. His Millennium Puzzle glowed brightly for a moment; Yugi only had enough time to look at it until Yami, the ancient pharaoh who resided in the Puzzle, appeared beside him.  
  
"What's wrong with her?" Yugi asked his friend.  
  
"She doesn't have her deck with her, Yugi." It was simple, but Yugi did not quite understand.  
  
"Where is it? And what difference does that make?"  
  
"She gave her deck to her duelist friend named Josh for the night. He plans to boost it, but he won't tell her how. My guess is that he will cut down on her deck and give her a few new cards," Yami explained.  
  
"Oh." Yugi said quietly. "She's new, but she's already seen the power behind those cards, hasn't she? It must feel as if someone has torn her heart right out of her, huh?" he said, a little sadly, as he watched the girl, who was only three years younger than he, sigh and close the dishwasher.  
  
"She's not the best duelist," Yami began matter-of-factly, "but she's already learned to put her heart in that deck. With it missing and her having no way of knowing its fate, she is edgy and worried, to put it lightly. You know what it is like to have your deck, your whole deck, with someone else."  
  
Yugi nodded silently, and they followed the sorrowful girl to her room, where she threw herself on her bed and reached into her pants pocket. She began to talk to herself, sorrow and worry in her voice. "I don't know where the rest of you are," she almost whispered, sighing sadly, "but there are two of you I didn't let him take." Having said that, she pulled out two cards from her pocket. Yugi could only see the backs; one was rather creased, but the other looked almost new. After a few seconds, he got to see the fronts as the girl sat up and placed the cards on her bed. The two cards were her beloved Red Eyes and her Gaia the Fierce Knight, also very close to her. These were the cards that had been destined for her since creation. Without these two cards, Yugi reasoned, she would be nothing. These cards were like friends to her, both powerful and beautiful.  
  
In reality, just before she'd handed over her deck to Josh, she'd taken Red Eyes and Gaia out. After making him promise to return her deck as soon as the two met again the nxt morning, he left.  
  
Immediately she sat up, looking more worried than before. "Oh no," she said quietly but fervently, "my Reflect Bounder!" Yugi started; he hadn't expected a rookie such as this to possess such a rare card. "I forgot to take out my Reflect Bounder!"  
  
The girl swore quietly and lay back down, drifting off into an uneasy sleep. Fearing for her cards, Yugi (who, even though he exists in another reality, can touch Duel Monsters cards in any realm, because he possesses the power of a Millennium item) knelt down and gently took them out of her hand, pausing for a moment to admire the holographic shine of the Red Eyes Black Dragon she loved so much. It was beautiful, Yugi thought to himself, even Joey's beloved dragon didn't shine like this!  
  
He set the cards face down on her nightstand and turned to Yami. "This Josh person... do you know him?" Yugi asked.  
  
"I have seen him. He is quite good, better even than that JB person this girl duels every week," he said with an odd look on his face; a mixture of scorn for JB, (Author's note: I really think Josh is better than JB; I just can't picture Josh losing to JB.) who was strong but cocky and would do anything to win, and also, respect for the faith the girl had in her deck. It ws simply amazing, that faith, almost overwhelming.  
  
"Well, while she sleeps, let's go pay him a visit, ne?" Yugi said, looking out of the window as if to search for the house.  
  
"Sure. Let's go," Yami said, smiling as only he could smile, managing to look happy as well as... well, Yugi wasn't sure there was a word to describe the pride-and-something-else that Yami, who'd lost his memory over the time he'd spent locked away in the Puzzle, carried with him. Whenever he allowed Yami to take control of his body, he felt that strange feeling course though him just before every duel. It was a mixture of pride, raw power and other things Yugi couldn't describe. Yami's power was a dark one, (in fact Yami's name means 'darkness') yet somehow it was as good a power as the light (or hikari) power that Yugi's friends, and Yugi himself, carried deep inside all of them. It felt somehow wonderful pounding through his veins. He supposed that before Yami had lost his memory, he had had words for the power he possessed, but now he was as confused on that particular point as Yugi, although Yami was more familiar with it. After all, Yugi thought, wasn't that how this whole mess had been started? By Yugi agreeing to help Yami rediscover his past?  
  
Yami disappeared, causing Yugi to snap out of his thoughts, wondering for a moment where his darker side had gotten to, but soon he felt Yami's spirit return to the Puzzle. It stirred, silently asking Yugi a question. Just as silently Yugi answered, No, not here. I think we might wake the girl up, and the sight of us will scare her. She's a mess without her deck; let's leave her be and let her sleep. I'll let you take over as soon as we're out of sight.  
  
The pharaoh agreed, and Yugi went outside; soon he was out in her neighborhood. Almost there, he quietly assured Yami. The next road over... He wondered to himself why Yami was so impatient today. Within a matter of minutes, he was out of sight of the house, and he let Yami take over. They quickly caught a bus (at Yugi's suggestion), and got off near where the one called Josh lived.  
  
When they found his house, they quickly located his room. It was easy to tell it was his because of the many cards that lay in the floor, in rows. Being the dormant half at the moment, Yugi couldn't move his eyes where he wanted them to go, but he could still see the holographic Reflect Bounder laying in the almost center of the neat assortment of cards, some the girl's, some not. The question was, where was the owner of this room?  
  
Seconds later, he appeared. He carefully stepped over all the cards he'd laid out, and set his soda down far out of spill range for any cards. He then set to work. Yugi noted the expertise with which he handled and put the cards together; easily as quickly as Yugi himself.  
  
Before an hour had passed, he'd taken the two intersecting black bands the girl used to hold her deck together with, and carefully put them back on. With some surprise, Yugi and Yami both noticed that the deck hadn't got much bigger than before.  
  
Yami ducked their head out of the window, and said, "Let's go back, shall we? That girl needs some support."  
  
"Good idea," Yugi said.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Me: Well, how was it? Good? Bad? You will be needing eye surgery? Please review, and I promise it will get good after this! But the chapters are short. Oh well. ^_^'  
  
Marik: *tied up in a chair in the background* Mmmf mffff!!!! (Hurry, please!!!!)  
  
Me: Eh heh heh.. 


	2. Chapter 2 Dark Magician's Destiny

Chapter 2-- Dark Magician's Destiny  
  
Two days later...  
  
The girl came home from school, smiling as she threw her backpack down and retrieved her deck from her purse. She talked to herself again (she did that a lot, Yugi thought) and walked almost on air to her room, where she set her deck on her bookcase and sat down at her computer. Yugi, who watched her, had been glad when the girl had gotten her old spunk back after recieving her improved deck, heard the things she said quietly to herself.  
  
"Please let Tony say yes..... please let Tony say yes.... I really have to have that card....."  
  
When Josh had returned her deck, instead of giving her some cards, he cut down on the number of cards in her deck. He only gave her one card, a mediocre one at that, but the girl trusted that Josh, a much better duelist, knew what he was doing. She had slightly adjusted it after studying what he did, but between he and she, they'd easily lopped off a good twenty cards. At first, she'd had eighty-something, then Josh had cut it almost in half to forty-four, but then the girl changed it, and ther total count (not including Fusion monsters) was sixty-one.  
  
"What does she mean by that, Yami?" Yugi asked. "Can you see into her mind?"  
  
"I can try," the pharaoh said, looking intently at the girl for a moment. There was a pause, then he said,  
  
"What do you want me to find?"  
  
"What card is this 'Tony' going to give her?"  
  
Another pause, then finally, "He is planning on giving her two very strong cards that he has several of."  
  
"What are they?"  
  
A longer pause. "he is thinking of perhaps giving her a Dark Magician and maybe a Blue Eyes, too."  
  
"Wow, those are good!" Yugi nodded, eyebrows high. "And you say he has several of these?"  
  
"Yes. He played with the rules," Yami said, an unreadable expression on his face. "He made it so he has six Blue Eyes."  
  
"Huh?" Yugi looked at Yami, confused. "How did he do that? No one can have six of any card in their deck!"  
  
"No one ever said it couldn't be just as strong," Yami said, further confusing his hikari. "He has three normal Blue Eyes, and three Toon Blue Eyes."  
  
"Ohhh....." Yugi said, hitting his forehead. "Of course! I still doubt it's legal, but if no one says anything, I suppose, there's nothing wrong with it..."  
  
The next day, when the girl opened her door, she looked so happy that Yugi just knew she had gotten the cards she'd wanted. But, when he'd asked Yami why she was so happy, he only said, "She's getting her cards soon."  
  
"What happened to today?"  
  
A pause, then, "Tony said no."  
  
"Then.... how is she still getting them?" Yugi was as confused as ever.  
  
"When Tony said no, she noticed that another boy was looking through his deck. When the boy, called Larry, found one of Tony's Dark Magicians, the girl pointed it out and said that she wanted one. Larry replied that he had three Dark Magicians, and when the girl was staring at him incredulously," Yami said, smiling, "he added that he didn't play."  
  
"What good luck!" Yugi said.  
  
"Both the girl and Tony asked for one, and Larry said yes."  
  
"That is very good," said Yugi, looking at the girl, who was playing a puzzle game on her video game system. "Now those two Dark Magicians willl have a much better life as active cards, rather than just collector's items. And whenever this girl gets a Blue Eyes (for this reality is rich in rare cards such as those), her deck will be complete." He smiled. "Who else whould have thought of naming their deck?"  
  
"What will she name it?" Yami asked, also looking intently at the girl.  
  
"She said she's calling it 'Commuion of the Legends', I think, said Yugi.  
  
"That is a good name."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Me: Whew. I think I fixed it. Marik: Fixed what? Me: The chapters were like one big block, so if you saw them like that, I'm sorry. I'm just really new at this, but I don't normally write like that. Piece of crap good for nothing word processor. *grumble grumble* Marik: o.o' (.she looks mad.) Me: *big smile again* Read n review! Please? *big hikari eyes* Marik: -_-' Ick, disgusting! Me: *whaps Marik* 


	3. Chapter 3 The Dreamer

Chapter 3-- The Dreamer  
  
Me: Okay! Chapter three! This is where it gets better, I promise! Marik: You've said that phrase way too much. Me: Don't make me tie you back up, Marik. Marik: *cringes* Fine, fine. Just get on with the story already! Me: Okay then ^_^ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
By sheer luck, Yami found out that he could bring the spirit of the Dark Magician, the one that would soon be chosen out of the three for her, with him to see the girl. He was gone for quite a while, but finally he reappeared. Yugi had been watching the girl play another game. She was quite fond of games, Yugi noted, maybe even as much as he himself.  
  
When Yami camew back, the spirit of the Dark Magician that was soon to become the girl's in tow, Yugi first smiled at Yami in thanks, then looked the Magician up and down. Being a monster, the Magician could not talk, but Yugi took one look at his face and knew that he'd never been in a duel before. The Magician was staring at him with a look of confusion and a question on his face, as if to say "Why am I here?"  
  
Yugi smiled at him. "Do you see the girl sitting at that desk over there?"  
  
The Magician nodded, staring fixedly at her. It was as if he knew. Perhaps, Yugi mused, he did know. Yugi continued. "Well, she is a duelist, although not the best. Sort of in between a rookie and a good duelist. She needs to figure out her deck, and then..." Yugi saw that he was going nowhere, so he went straight for the point. "Anyway, she's giong to be your mistress soon." Despite his rambling, Yugi hoped that he had put it rather tenderly, so as not to frighten the obviously confused card-spirit.  
  
The Magician turned back to him, another question written in his eyes. Yugi knew what he was thinking, and answered his silent question. "Do not worry, she takes very good care of her cards, particularly the strong ones, like you. She's been counting the days until you arrive." The Magician stared at hte girl for a few more moments, and then, slowly, he smiled. Yugi smiled back. "It's good to see you're not worried anymore," he said. The Magician didn't look at him, but nodded enthusiastically.  
  
Later, the girl took a break from her chores and sat down on the couch, eyes closed. Her stomach was comfortably warm and full from the recent meal, and she tried hard to stay awake. She yawned.  
  
The Dark Magician was still accompanying Yugi and Yami, and he looked at the girl almost longingly, as if he wanted to make himself known to her. Yugi put a hand on his armored shoulder, and when the Magician looked at him, silently asking if there was anything Yugi could do to help, Yugi just smiled sympathetically and shook his head. "I'm sorry," he said, "but you'll have to wait. She'll get to know you once she uses you in a duel, I promise." The Magician looked mildly frustrated; he reached out a hand to brush against hers, but to no avail. This futile movement to desperately get her attention moved Yugi. "I wish I could help you," he said softly.  
  
The Magician had knelt in front of the oblivious girl, and was trying hard to speak to her. All that he could do was make pleading sounds with his voice. Since he was a card monster, he was bound by silence unless he was chosen as Deckmaster in a duel. Yugi was further touched by the desperation the Magician was showing. He turned to Yami. "Isn't there anything we can do to help him?" he asked his friend.  
  
"Perhaps.... there is," the pharaoh said thoughtfully. "Everyone exists in the same reality when they deram, and so, maybe we can get the Magician to meet her in a dream. In the reality of dreams, card monsters are not bound by any limits or laws, so it would be easy for him to speak to her."  
  
"Yes!!" Yugi was immensely glad that Yami had remembered what he, Yugi, probably would not have.  
  
This sudden sound made the Magician shoot to his feet, startled. Yugi laughed softly and said to him, "Don't worry, it was only me. Hey," Yugi called to the Magician, who was already turning back around, "do you really, really want to talk to her?"  
  
The Dark Magician's dejected visage brightened, and he nodded, expecting something grand. Yugi was happy, simply because the Magician wasn't going to be so sad anymore. "Listen. If we can get you and her to sleep at the same time," Yugi said, "then you can meet her."  
  
The Magician looked as if Yugi and Yami had just made his day. He stood up, facing Yugi, and clasped Yugi's hand in both his own, smiling and pleading at the same time.  
  
"It's settled then," Yami said.  
  
That night...  
  
The girl turned off her computer, yawning hugely. Yugi, Yami and the Dark Magician stood nearby, the Magician's blue eyes glittering in anticipation. Yugi looked aty him. If that man Arcanah, who believed that his cards were only pawns for his use or misuse as he chose, and who used a card that removed the very soul of his monster, could have seen the soul of this monster, he would have realized much earlier what he had eventually come to know. Yugi hoped that Arcanah's Dark Magician had forgiven him for what he had said and done before that.  
  
The girl climbed into bed, and soon was asleep. Yugi produced a bottle from his jacket, which was filled with a liquid very close to the color of the Dark Magician's excited, icy blue eyes. Those eyes fixed on Yugi, asking a question.  
  
"This," Yugi stated, gesturing at the bottle, "will put even the most powerful monster to sleep. Drink," he said, handing the bottle to the Magician. He looked at the fluid inside almost suspiciously, then, with a quick glance at Yami and Yugi, took a small drink.  
  
He immediately jerked his hand away, silver-blue hair going everywhere, and made a face. He looked at Yugi, still wearing a very displeased look. Yugi looked somewhat embarrassed, and covered his mouth politely. "Sorry," he said, "I know it tasted terrible, but if I told you, you'd never drink it."  
  
The Dark Magician seemed to understand. The three sat down, so the Magician could go to sleep easier. There were a few moments of silence, then a yawn ensued as the Magician grew drowsy. Yugi smiled, the Magician smiled back, and then all was silent.  
  
Yami shifted his position. "Let's hope they enjoy each other's company for the night," he said, looking at the still form of the most shy Dark Magician he'd ever known.  
  
After he'd drunk that awful-tasting potion, he'd looked at the spiky-haired boy beside him. Yuck! he thought at him; although no one could hear his thoughts, he'd found that if he thought it, his face showed it better. What on earth is this?!  
  
The boy looked almost embarrassed, covering his mouth to hide what looked like a laugh. He explained to him that if he'd told him before that it tasted like something you'd put in an automobile, then he'd never have drunk it. He understood, and he hoped that it showed on his face as sleep began to come over him. As a monster, he'd never yawned before, but he found it strangely pleasing and hard to hold back. As the other two, the pharaoh and the boy, grew dim in his vision, the boy smiled brightly, as if trying to do what the Magician did and think, Good luck.  
  
The Magician pulled back his lips in a genuine smile, and his heart was warmed by the thought that these two were his friends, and they helped him, just because they could.  
  
Then he slept....  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Me: Oooh, yeah, how anticlimactic. -_-' Byeh, whatever. I liked it. Marik: I didn't! Me: You don't like anything. Marik: Do too! Me: Oh, I'm sorry, I meant you don't like anything OTHER THAN your God card. Marik: Crap. I guess not then. Me: Gasp! Honesty! *pats Marik's head* Good doggy! Have a cookie! Marik: *twitches* If you enjoy life, you will cease petting me RIGHT NOW. Me: *whap with rolled-up newspaper* Bad doggy! Marik: X.x Me: *grins at readers* Now that he's quiet, review please! 


	4. Chapter 4 The Dream

Chapter 4-- The Dream  
  
Me: This is my favorite chapter!  
  
Marik: Just who is this "girl" anyway?  
  
Me: I know, but I'll never tell. Well, maybe a few select people, but not YOU Marik!  
  
Marik: Oh, boo hoo, I must know. -_-' *sarcasm*  
  
Me: *resists urge to pat Marik's head again* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
There was nothing for a few minutes. Just like when I'm in that drawer my master keeps me in, he thought. But soon I'll be taken everywhere, just like all the rest of her cards... His heart grew warm again. It was a pleasant feeling; he was still new to feelings like these, but he knew that this was one of the best.  
  
Some didn't play, but those who did.... well, did. And the luckier cards became the possessions of those who did play. And he was about to become one of those fortunate cards! The thought brought another pleasant feeling to the Magician, and suddenly....  
  
He was in... someplace. The sky was as blue as the eyes that beheld it. The weather out here was perfect. He almost wanted to slough off his armor and enjoy the brilliant early morning sunlight. Too bad he didn't know how it came off.  
  
Wait! Wasn't he looking for someone? Yes! He looked around, trying to fond the girl who'd captivated his soul as soon as he'd set eyes on her. By the gods, she was beautiful! And he was soon to belong to her. He was determined to improve her deck with his power. He'd heard from the boy, the pharaoh's reincarnation, that Dark Magicians have awesome power, sometimes even stronger than a Red Eyes Black Dragon. He was sure that he could help the grl, and he really hoped that he could tap into his power for her, and help her win.  
  
There she was! Alone, yet happy, sitting on a bench in the amazingly wonderful weather. She blissfully sunned, while doing something with a string attached to a long wand, different than his. The string was dipping into a pond that the bench overlooked.  
  
He suddenly remembered that he could speak. Trying hard to remember what another Dark Magician had told him about what it was like to be a Deckmaster, he formed his lips into a position from which he could hopefully speak. His vocal cords were rusty from non-use; he coughed for a few seconds before getting them clear. He spoke, praying silently it would sound like her name. Praying she would hear....  
  
"Samantha!"  
  
It was a simple name, only three syllables, but it enthralled the Magician. The girl perked up at the sound of her own name, setting down her "wand" to stand up and squint at the Magician in the distance. She called out to him. "I can't see you, come over here!" She beckoned with her hand, and as the Magician drew closer, he remembered another thing that was visible in a dream: the golden Eye, a replica of the ones emblazoned on the seven Millennium items, that was burned into a duelist's hand when they play their first serious duel. It was on the hand with which they hold their cards, the hand they draw with during a duel.  
  
As he drew ever closer, she beckoned again, and he looked hard for the Eye. Perhaps she had not been in a duel, after all?  
  
Then the Magician neared her side, and he saw it. It was not on the hand he'd expected, the right hand. No, it was on her left hand. A left-handed duelist! How strange!  
  
The Dark Magician finally reached her. She stared for a few awkward moments, and then she smiled."Well! I've been expecting a Duel Monsters dream. A Dark Magician, are you? Come sit down, it's beautiful out." She patted the bench beside her. He remembered that he could speak again.  
  
"O-Okay, yes, sure...." He sat down. "What are you doing with that wand?"  
  
"Wand?" The girl blinked. He gestured toward the rod she held in the water. She looked at it, and then smiled in realization. "Oh. This is no wand, magic boy, this is a fishing pole. You catch fish with it. Here, watch." She tugged at the pole; the end was trembling and fluttering, somewhat like the Dark Magician's heart was. He was amazed at how calmly she'd identified him. He guessed that she hadn't remembered yet that she was expecting him.  
  
She gave a great tug, and a large fish came tumbling out of the water, flailing on the shore. The girl stood up again, hopping jubilantly up and down at the sight of the monstrous fish. "Woo hooo!!" She turned to face the Magician, beaming. "Lookit this! Huge, isn't it? Too big to let get away. D'you think you could, you know, flash-fry it? With that pointy stick thing you got there? Make it painless," she added, stepping back.  
  
"My wand?" he said hesitantly, looking from the green staff he carried to the girl, and back again. "I don't know, I've never used my Dark Magic before...."  
  
"Come on," she coaxed. "I've seen your kind do it before, it doesn't look hard. Give it here if you're not going to do it."  
  
"No, no..." he said quickly, fearing for his young mistress-to-be. He didn't yet know the full extent of the powers of his wand, and so it was only reasonable that he should be afraid to entrust it to her. "I'll do it, watch your back." He leveled the wand, aiming for the hapless fish, and concentrated, not quite sure what would or should happen--  
  
There was a flash, and from his wand erupted a beam of...what?... and impaled the fish. A few more seconds cooked it. The girl cheered.  
  
"There you go! That's Dark Magic if I've ever seen it! Way to go!"  
  
He stood up and smiled rather shyly, putting a hand behind his head. By the gods, this girl was full of fire... They sat down, and the Dark Magician, suddenly inspired, did something he'd wnted to do ever since he'd first seen her. He looked at her until she looked back, and placed his delicate hand over her equally delicate one.  
  
"Samantha," he said, staring into her deep green eyes, "I am the Dark Magician that you will recieve this week." Her eyebrows went up. He gave a bare pause, and then went on. "I have desperately wanted to get to know you all day today, and now that I have, I know that it was well worth it." He smiled at her, and she smiled back, a little slower, as she took it all in. "I am bound and determined to make your deck strong enough to defeat your opponents. The spike-haired one and the pharaoh have helped me to get to meet you today," he added. At this, her eyes widened.  
  
"You know Yugi and Yami ?!"  
  
The Magician smiled again. "Yes, and they are the nicest people I have ever met. As nice even as my mistress." His smile was a little wry now, almost mischevious; the girl looked at him harder.  
  
"Your mistress? Me?" she said, pointing to herself. The Magician nodded. She looked surprised, to say the least. "But I'm not your mistress yet!"  
  
"Very soon, I hope." The Magician's disposition was so shy and kind, and yet so full of power, that the girl couldn't reply. Only stare. "I consider you my mistress now."  
  
The girl hugged him; lovingly the Magician returned the embrace. They talked like old friends the rest of the dream, and were very sad when they had to part.  
  
Yugi shook himself to a more wakeful position. The Dark Magician's form stirred; the first sign of consciousness was a smile of pure joy. Yugi was warmed by that. To think that these two could bond even before meeting each other in person....  
  
His eyes slit open. Yugi looked into the Magician's face, to see his reaction. When he could see Yugi, The Magician looked crestfallen, but then he smiled at his young friend.  
  
"How was it?" Yugi asked. The Magician opened his mouth, but all that came out was, "Aieuuaa.... urghhhh!!" He'd forgotten that he couldn't speak anymore. Frustrated, his shoulders sagged, but then he got over it and smiled at Yugi, and nodded brightly, answering the boy's question. Yugi was happy that he'd finally met his mistress-to-be.  
  
"Well," Yugi said, looking at Yami, "it's almost time for this girl to go to school..." he trailed off.  
  
Yami nodded. "So, it's time to return to your card," he stated, finishing Yugi's sentence for him. The Magician frowned, looking at the girl sadly. He wished he had telepathic powers, so he could form his thoughts, which were, But, by the gods, I loved having a body...  
  
Yami stood up. "Yugi," he said, "I need to return the Magician, or his master will be worried about the faceless card in his drawer."  
  
"'Kay," Yugi said, smiling. "Good luck with her," he said to the Magician. The Magician gave a thumbs-up, and appeared by Yami's side.  
  
The pharaoh concentrated, and soon the two were gone. Yugi smiled sadly at where the Magician had been. "What a guy," he said quietly, forgetting that his yami wasn't beside him.  
  
Two weeks later, the girl had given up on Larry. The Magician had been heartbroken when he had visited again. "Not to worry," Yugi said, "Yami told me that card spirits can exchange cards!"  
  
The Magician simply looked confused. Yugi continued. "There is, somewhere, a Dark Magician that, someday, she will get. She won't stop searching until she gets one. Yami and I have met Marik's sister, you know Ishizu," he said, looking at the Magician. He nodded, indicating that he did know her. "Well, anyway, Ishizu's Millennium item can see into the future, and so she has done us a favor and found the Dark Magician that she will recieve. Yami," he said, addressing the pharaoh that had just appeared from Yugi's Puzzle, "bring him in, okay?"  
  
"No problem," Yami said. (A/N:: I've nicknamed the other Dark Magician, the one who Yami is 'summoning', I've nicknamed him Nico, to avoid confusion.) He concentrated, and soon another Dark Magician was beside him. He looked very much like the first, except that he had shockingly white hair and cross-shaped scars on his hands, proof that his master or mistress was a great duelist. The older Magician's crimson eyes bore into the younger Magician's. This Dark Magician was an expert duel monster, the first Magician thought to himself.  
  
Monsters of the same name can telepathically speak to one another, so the white-haired monster said, /Well, hello there. Do you have a name?/  
  
/No,/ the Magician replied, /I have never been in a duel before./  
  
/A monster's first duel determines his name,/ he replied. /My name is Nico, and it means 'dependable'. I shall name you, once I know what kind of Dark Magician you are./ This Magician was obviously older, the Magician thought. His red eyes showed signs of wear at the edges.  
  
/What do you mean?/ the younger Magician asked. /We're all the same./  
  
/You are obviously new,/ Nico said, with a hint of scorn in his mind-voice. (By the way, Yugi and Yami can hear their mind-speech, but they can't join in.) /We may look almost all the same, and we may all have the same attack and defense skills, but it is not that that matters./ Nico came closer, and placed a thin finger on the Magician's chest. Red eyes met blue, and stared deeply into them as he continued. /What matters, young Magician, is that our hearts are different. Our souls are what is different, young one./ The Magician's eyes narrowed, and he moved Nico's finger away.  
  
/Don't call me that,/ he said.  
  
Nico's armor moved up and down as he shrugged. /It's true. Anyway, I've got a name for you now,/ Nico said. /I doubt the mortal or the pharaoh.../ he paused to shift his gaze to Yami for a moment, as if remembering something, (the sight of non-mortal Egyptians stirs something in all monsters' memories) and then continued. /...can pronounce it, though./  
  
/What is it?/ the Magician asked.  
  
/Your name will be 'Nayl'fir',/ he said with a regal air, the origins of which no one could figure out. /which means 'young warrior'./  
  
/Ah, good, I thought it meant something disgraceful,/ the Magician muttered. /Though I'm not sure I feel quite like a 'Nayl'fir'.../  
  
/Then tell me something about yourself, and I will choose two names for you, but not their meanings, and whichever one you choose, is the one you are destined for,/ Nico said, staring at the Magician.  
  
He thought for a moment. /Well... when I was going to get a mistress,/ he said, his face falling just a bit as he remembered how close he'd come, /I was absolutely determined to use whatever power I had to improve her deck.../  
  
/That is enough,/ Nico said. /I have been chosen as your Namer instead of it being chosen in a duel, and so I will proceed in the ancient fashion./ He paused, mentally scrolling through the list of names he'd been given. It took him a while, but finally he chose two.  
  
Nico spoke. /Bradcorh..../ he said, eyes shut as he chose one last name. /...and Rimoku./  
  
The Magician felt... somehow... pulled towards the first name, but the second one sounded better. When he began to telepathically speak, something fell hard into place. He'd started to say one of the names, but something changed it in half-word. It sounded something like, /Rimok- ghhhhh.....errrrrrbbb-bradcorh.../ It was as if the name chose him.  
  
/What was that?/  
  
/Bradcorh,/ he responded, quite sure now. /My name is Bradcorh./ He rolled it on his tongue, quite liking the hard sound of it. It fit him.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~` Me: Finally! My favorite part! The Magician gets a name!  
  
Marik: How. disgusting.  
  
Me: Oh shut up. I was feeling like fluff that day, but I don't get very fluffy, so that's about as fluffy as I get. *points to "fluff"*  
  
Marik: Pffft.  
  
Me: *brandishes rolled up newspaper*  
  
Marik: O.O Okay, okay! It was.. Good, I guess.  
  
Me: ^_^ *looks once again at readers* Now then, you don't have to be forced to tell me how you feel too, do you? *shuffles newspaper around* Mmm hmm hmm.. *sadistic grin* Review please! 


	5. Chapter 5 Hope for the Magician

Chapter 5 -- Hope for the Magician  
  
Me: The last chapter! ^_^ I'm kind of sad it's almost over! Marik: I, however, am not. How much longer until you pay me? Me: At the end of this chapter. Marik: Who are you going to torture next, I wonder? Me: For my next story? Mmmm, probably Ryou and Bakura. *evil grin*  
  
Later in the day, Nico and Bradcorh (the younger Magician, remember) finished their conversation. Yugi had stayed because he thought it was intriguing talk, but Yami had retreated to his soul room.  
  
Nico stood up. /Well, it's settled then,/ he said. /We'll trade cards, so you can get the mistress instead of me./  
  
/But, Nico../ Bradcorh thought it over. /My master doesn't duel! You obviously love to duel, and your master is obviously a great duelist!/ he said, gesturing at the cross tattoos on the backs of Nico's hands, a symbol of many duels won. Nico shrugged.  
  
/I am old, young one. My master got me in his very first deck, and that was years ago. Now he only periodically duels, and I am getting tired. It is time for this Magician to retire,/ he said sadly, with the same subtle weariness that he'd always had in his voice, but it was only now that it stood out to Bradcorh.  
  
/Are... you sure you want to do all this just for me?/ Bradcorh asked.  
  
Nico's lips parted; he laughed softly. /Of course! It is the ancient tradition for old monsters to give their place to younger monsters./  
  
The two Magicians, who were now good friends, embraced each other in a warm hug. Bradcorh turned to Yugi.  
  
"You want Yami now?" Yugi asked, since the Magicians could not speak to him. They nodded in unison. Yugi smiled, then turned to the side, touched his Puzzle, and said as if to himself, "Yami, they want to talk to you. Come out please."  
  
The Puzzle glowed for a moment as Yami emerged from his soul room, and looked at his hikari. "You needed something, Yugi?" He looked at the two Dark Magicians. Nico made movements with his hands of he and Bradcorh switching sides, and Yami seemed to understand. "They decided to exchange cards, didn't they?"  
  
"Yes, they did," Yugi said. "Nico, I think that was the older one's name, says it is a tradition for the old cards to make sacrifices for the new cards."  
  
"Good, then. Should I do this now, or later?" Yami asked, looking at the Magicians. Bradcorh mouthed 'now' and glanced at Nico for support. Nico nodded, looking at the pharaoh as if to say 'hurry up!' Yami nodded back. He put his hands out to the sides, and made small gestures with his fingers. Two empty monster cards appeared in his hands. They were only spiritual, and they were not the real thing, but they represented their physical objects.  
  
"Now this card," Yami said, holding up the card in his right hand, "belongs to Nico's master, and it will most likely end up in the hands of the girl Beradcorh is after. And this card," he said, holding up his left hand, "represents Larry's card. Now just in case Larry does eventually end up giving her this card, both of you will leave a small bit of your spirits in your original card. It won't be enough for you to notice, just enough for you to feel it when one of you touches the hand that belongs to the girl. When that happens, the small parts of your spirits are withdrawn from the other card, so you have it back. Is that understood?" Yami finished, holding out the cards. The Magicians slowly nodded. "Good. Now, Nico, is that right?" The white-haired Dark Magician stepped forward with a serious look on his face. He nodded, staring at the cards. "Nico," Yami said, "I am going to transfer a small part of your spirit to this card. You might feel a very slight pull, but most of you will stay with you." He concentrated; the older Magician looked as if he did feel something odd, and then it was done. The bands of his armor had gotten a little paler, nothing more.  
  
Now it was time for Nico's spirit to go into the card that was really in Larry's drawer. He knew it, and he turned to the Magician who he'd named Bradcorh. /Bradcorh,/ he said, /I do this because I know how it feels to need a worthy master. I did something much like this when I was younger, and now I feel that I have paid my debt to the Magician who'd sacrificed for me. This has been done since we were living, breathing creatures, and it is still done today, by the more intelligent monsters./ He smiled at the younger, less experienced Magician. Bradcorh simply stood there, not quite sure what to do or say. Nico said one last thing before turning back to Yami. /Goodbye, my young friend. See that the sacrifice I make does good for you and yours. We will meet again, someday./ His image flickered, then he disappeared completely.  
  
Bradcorh stepped forward, mind-speaking only a single word. /Nico!/  
  
Slowly, Nico's image appeared on the card. Bradcorh looked at the card and the monster within, his eyes misting. He looked at Yami, once again asking a question with his eyes, the way he did. Yami nodded.  
  
"Your turn," he said, terse but meaningful. Bradcorh nodded, hesitantly. First Yami took a small portion of his spirit and contained it within his original card, with Nico. The image on Nico's projected card shimmered, and then stilled. Yami looked at the Dark Magician and asked, "Are you ready?"  
  
Bradcorh looked from Yami to Yugi, and then to Nico's card, and back to Yami. He slowly nodded. Yugi looked a little sad; this Magician had become his friend, and now it was not likely they'd see each other again, until... well, until after it was all over. He held out his hand to shake the Magician's; Bradcorh took it, and one singular, silvery tear dropped onto the side of Yugi's hand. The Magician named Bradcorh was going to sorely miss these two. Yugi smiled up at Bradcorh, and Bradcorh smiled back. He turned to Yami once their hands had parted. I'm ready, he mouthed silently.  
  
Yami nodded. "Goodbye, Bradcorh. Yugi and I have enjoyed your company, but now it is time to part." He held up the remaining empty card.  
  
Bradcorh nodded affirmatively. He looked at Yugi one last time. Bye, he shaped his lips to say. He looked at Yami, steadily holding his gaze. Yugi's darker side had 'opened' the card, and was waiting for Bradcorh to stop resisting. Just before he succumbed to the tug of the card, he looked Yami straight in the eye and mouthed, Thank you, pharaoh. Goodbye...  
  
It was finished. Yami dismissed the projections, and then faced Yugi. "Strange business, ne?"  
  
"Yes," Yugi agreed. "Strange indeed..."  
  
"The one called Bradcorh..." Yami stared off into space. "He was the most determined monster I have ever seen. It was as if Ra himself had instilled all of his will into one Dark Magician. How strange..."  
  
"He listens hard to the call of Destiny," Yugi said. "Just like you and I."  
  
"I agree. We are hikari and yami; we couldn't be without each other, but he alone... it seemed as if he was ready to take on the force of the gods just to become the possession of one girl..."  
  
"It just further proves that he was destined for her," Yami heard Yugi say before he retreated into his soul room for a nice long mental debate.  
  
Yugi sighed, and decided that he needed to go home. His and Yami's work here was finished. Besides, the girl was asleep, and Destiny was about to call her name.  
  
OWARI  
  
~~~ Marik: That was... interesting,  
  
Me: You're just jealous because you weren't in it.  
  
Marik: Whatever. Anyway, we had a deal. *holds out his hand, which is empty, expectantly* Fix this now!  
  
Me: *sigh* Fine then. *gives him $25*  
  
Marik: Huh? *looks hard at money* This isn't Egyptian currency!  
  
Me: Who said I had some?  
  
Marik: FOR THE LOVE OF RA! *deep breath* Fine! Now! Write my story!  
  
Me: Okay, but I don't think you'll have your Rod for most of it..  
  
Marik: WHAT?! But without my Rod, I'm nothing but a weak, really dark- skinned Egyptian!  
  
Me: Oh, no, you're more than that, dear... *edges closer* You're a sexy man, sexy man!  
  
Marik: O_O  
  
Me: *leans on his shoulder and abruptly gets whacked with the business end of his Rod*  
  
Marik: Get away from me!  
  
Me: You're not supposed to hit people! I'm telling!  
  
Marik: No, don't tell! For the love of Ra DON'T TELL!!  
  
Me: Too late! ISHIZU!!!! *gets strangled by Marik*  
  
Marik: Shut UP!  
  
Me: *passes out from loss of air* Now is a good time to paint my sister.... ghhh....  
  
Marik: o_o; ..Aaanywayyy, READ MY FIC! Or I will be forced to poke you! *brandishes pointy parts of Rod*  
  
Me: this... is... truuue.... *popped again by Rod* 


End file.
